The Wedding
by Kate Rosen
Summary: Sharon and Andy attend Patrice and Provenza's wedding. Unapologetic fluff.
**A/N:** My Tumblr friend disturbingclarity requested a bit of fluff after my last angsty story. Her prompt was: Shandy at Provvie's wedding. Dancing required.

 **Disclaimer:** These characters aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them.

* * *

 **The Wedding** by Kate Rosen

"I, Louie, take you, Patrice, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

As he observed Provenza and Patrice reciting their vows to one another, Andy's hand reached over to hold Sharon's almost instinctually. He hoped that she wouldn't read too much into the gesture, but he couldn't help himself; he was unapologetically drawn to her.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward."

Provenza had never looked so dapper dressed in his crisply tailored tuxedo, or so happy, Sharon thought to herself as she felt Andy's large, warm hand wrap around her own. It never ceased to amaze her how perfectly their fingers intertwined or how the simple act of handholding could make her feel so safe and loved.

"For better, for worse…"

The scene before Andy slowly faded and a new one took shape in its place.

 _A voice could be heard in the distance, but all he could see was Sharon standing before him. She was wearing a simple, cream-colored dress with long, lace sleeves, and her hair flowed over her shoulders in soft waves, the sunlight streaming in from the window behind her accentuating the flecks of red and gold throughout. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he noticed that she wasn't wearing her glasses, which offered him an even clearer view of her beautiful, sage-green eyes._

"For richer, for poorer…"

Sharon was watching the vow exchange intently, but suddenly the setting around her changed.

 _Andy was standing across from her in one of those three-piece suits that he wore so well. This one was charcoal with subtle pinstripes and a striking aqua-blue shirt underneath. A single white rose was pinned to his lapel. She glanced down at their joined hands before raising her head so she could see his face. His lips were curled into his signature easy smile that she always found so contagious, and she immediately felt a matching grin take shape on her own face._

"In sickness and in health…"

 _Andy heard Sharon's voice crack slightly as she repeated the words. A single tear slid down her right cheek, and he quickly moved to brush it away with his thumb._

"To love and to cherish…"

 _When Andy's turn came, his voice was strong and sure, never once wavering. The love in his warm, chestnut eyes was her strength, and she squeezed his hand gently in gratitude._

Feeling Sharon squeeze his hand, Andy's daydream faded, and he was suddenly back in the room at the Los Angeles County Courthouse where his best friend and partner was getting married.

"You may now kiss your bride," the officiant said to Provenza, and with a smile that lit up his entire face, the lieutenant leaned in to kiss his new wife. The room burst into a round of applause, and as Andy stood to congratulate the couple with the rest of the group, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the woman beside him.

Sharon was positively glowing. When she turned her head to gaze in his direction, her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were slightly flushed in delight. Before he could stop himself, he was leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. He let his lips linger for an extra second or two, breathing in the scent of her and relishing in the softness of her skin before pulling back to see her smile.

What a perfect ending to a long and trying week.

* * *

"Shall we?" Andy asked, extending his hand to Sharon.

Provenza and Patrice had rented out one of the smaller banquet rooms at a local golf club to host their forty-two wedding guests for a simple reception. Buzz had set up sound equipment to play background music, and as some people had finished eating, they were getting up to dance.

Sharon took Andy's hand, gripping it a little more tightly than usual. Maybe she shouldn't have had that second glass of champagne, she thought to herself as she rose to her feet a little unsteadily, but today was a special occasion. The ceremony had been simple, but beautiful, and both Patrice and the lieutenant seemed to be positively glowing with happiness. After such an intense and taxing case, which had consumed them all week, this wedding was exactly what they all needed.

Andy wrapped his arm around her waist, brought their joined hands to his chest, and began to lead them across the dance floor. As they softly swayed to the music, Sharon relaxed into his embrace and leaned her head against his shoulder. She couldn't remember when she'd last felt so content. There was nowhere else that she would rather be at this moment. Things with Andy were always so easy, and she wondered why she had fought the idea of their being more than friends for so long. Once they'd decided to make the leap, he had slipped into her life so simply that she was beginning to wonder how she would possibly live without him.

Just yesterday they had finally gotten the chance to discuss her job offer with the NFL. Of course, she had told him about it when it had first come up, but they hadn't been able to talk about it at length since they had been assigned their latest case. Andy said it was her choice, but that she should really think about what would make her happy. She'd spent so many years doing what was best for Jack, then her children, Andy had reminded her, that it was her turn to choose what she wanted.

Sharon had pondered all of this. The opportunity was an exciting one, and she truly did love football, but it would also be a lot of responsibility and hard work, and she wasn't sure she wanted to take all of that on at this point in her life.

And then there was Andy to consider. He said that he didn't want to be a factor in her decision, but how could he not be? He was a part of her life, and becoming more important to her every day. Yes, they were taking their relationship slowly, but it was continuing to deepen and grow, and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that.

Andy had sweetly offered to retire from the LAPD and travel with her, if that's what she wanted. She was important to him, too, and he'd needed her to know that. He didn't want her to think that he was pushing her away by trying to convince her to take the job. They would make it work no matter what she decided. To prove his commitment to her, he had shared with her a letter that he had written when he'd been about to have surgery last fall. When he read it aloud, Sharon had never heard anything so beautiful, and when he had gotten to the part where he professed his love for her, she had said it back without a moment's hesitation.

Suddenly everything was clear to her. Sharon was already happy with her life in Los Angeles. Rusty was here, Ricky was just a short plane-ride away, and she did love her job at the LAPD. Her squad had truly become her friends, and she had found love there so unexpectedly. She would call on Monday to officially turn down the job, but her mind was made up. Andy had asked her if she was sure, and she'd said that she had never been more sure of anything in her life.

"What are you thinking?" Andy asked, his deep, rumbling voice bringing her back to the present. "You're so quiet.

Sharon lifted her head to face him and smiled. "I was just thinking about how much we all needed today after the week we've had. And how much I love weddings."

Andy leaned in to kiss her softly. "Me, too," he answered, returning her grin.

* * *

The song ended then, but Andy was grateful when another slow one came on immediately after. He wasn't quite ready to let her go yet, and Sharon didn't seem to be in a rush to get back to their table either. He was glad to hear how much she liked weddings, because he was slowly beginning to imagine one that they might be attending in the near future.

When Andy had had his surgery over Thanksgiving, he swore to himself that if he made it through, then he would buy Sharon a diamond. A simple, one carat solitaire was currently nestled in the back of his sock drawer for safekeeping. He knew that she wasn't ready to accept it yet, and that was just fine with him. He may tease about chaperones and old-fashioned dating, but he was enjoying every step of their slow-paced relationship. When the time was right, he would give the ring to her, and the world would know what he was already certain of. There would be no one else for him for the rest of his life.

 _Till death do them part._

 ** _~Fin_**


End file.
